Building Briefs – July 13th

New council housing development underway in Saline

Another development in Fife Council’s Affordable Housing Programme is well underway at Oakley Road in Saline.

Previously agricultural land, builders moved on site during February 2016 and the first handover is estimated for winter 2016.

A total of 17 homes are planned for the development, ranging from one and two- bedroomed flats, to two and three bedroomed houses to suit a variety of needs.

Councillor Judy Hamilton, Fife Council’s executive spokesperson for housing & building services, recently visited the site to see progress.

This new housing development is one of a number of sites under construction to meet Fife Council’s commitment to deliver 2,700 new affordable homes by 2017.

Revised Collegelands student housing expansion proposals

Anderson Bell Christie Architects have amended a previous consent to build a 458 bed student housing block within Glasgow’s Collegelands on behalf of developer Vastint.

Being progressed in tandem with plans for a Moxy branded hotel, the ‘S’ plan build will be activated at ground level with a reception, seating areas, study zones, gym, games zones, movie room, laundry facilities and a mailbox area which will wrap around north and south facing courtyards accommodating entrance spaces, bin stores and cycle racks.

Perth mart site could be used for housing

A plan is in the pipeline to build housing on the site of the former Perth Agricultural Centre at East Huntingtower.

In recent months the land off Crieff Road has been blighted by fly-tipping.

When the livestock mart closed the site was earmarked for a multi-million pound Sainsbury store but this plan foundered.

Now developers have come forward suggesting that the site should be used for hundreds of homes to help meet the population growth expected in the city in coming years.

A pre-application report will go before Perth and Kinross Council’s development control committee, giving councillors forewarning that an application is imminent and providing a chance for them to suggest areas they would like to see addressed in the application.

CCG project manager reaches final for national award

CCG project manager Tom Tracy has reached the final of this year’s Construction Manager of the Year Awards.

Taking place in September, the awards celebrate the delivery of projects of many types and sizes.

Tom has been nominated in the ‘Residential 7 Storeys and Under’ category for delivering the award-winning Sighthill project, a 141 home affordable housing scheme that was constructed for Glasgow Housing Association.

The Sighthill redevelopment makes use of a site following the demolition of a high rise block and three low rise maisonettes that were constructed during the 1960s and is identified as one of the 8 priority areas for regeneration by the Transforming Communities: Glasgow (TG:G), a partnership between GHA, Glasgow City Council and the Scottish Government.

Tom and his team were on site in March 2014 and brought the project to full completion in the late-summer of 2015.

Pride in the Job for Miller Homes site managers

Jim Martin, Kris Aitchison and Stephen Mack, who are based at Miller Homes’ Rosela, Liberty Park and Fullwood Gardens developments respectively, have each achieved a Quality Award in Scotland in the 2016 NHBC Pride in the Job Awards.

Now in their 36th year, the Pride in the Job Awards recognise those site managers who have excelled in achieving the highest quality and safety standards in housebuilding.

Every housebuilder registered under the NHBC Buildmark is entered into the competition, with site managers rigorously assessed during the various stages of the competition.

Site managers are assessed across 37 areas of site management, including leadership, consistency in the build process, technical knowledge, quality controls and health and safety. It’s the seventh time Jim Martin has picked up a Quality Award, the second time for Kris Aitchison and the first time for Stephen Mack who has previously been a past nominee.

Brodies LLP expands construction team with new appointments

Brodies has expanded its construction team with the appointment of new partner David Arnott, a construction disputes specialist, consultant Jane McMonagle, a contracts specialist, and associate Chris Duff, also a construction disputes resolution lawyer.

David is one of the country’s most respected contentious construction specialists. He brings to Scotland’s largest law firm 25 years of specialist expertise in resolving construction, engineering and PPP/PFI disputes.

He joins from MacRoberts where he was head of the firm’s Construction and Projects Group.

David, who will be based in Brodies’ Edinburgh office, specialises in resolving construction and engineering disputes through negotiation, mediation, adjudication, arbitration and litigation. He has been involved in more than 200 adjudications and has resolved multi-million pound disputes relating to some of the country’s largest PFI and PPP projects and other high profile construction cases.

David will also be joined at Brodies by Chris Duff, who has six years’ specialist expertise in construction dispute resolution. Chris also joins from MacRoberts.

Jane McMonagle brings over 12 years’ experience to Brodies’ non-contentious construction team, having advised clients on all forms of construction and engineering contracts and associated documents. Jane, who will be based in Brodies’ Glasgow office, joins from Harper Macleod, where she was a partner in the firm’s construction team.

Construction Sector Skills Academy gets young Fifers career ready

A group of young unemployed Fifers have been improving their chances of finding work, thanks to an innovative four-week Construction Sector Skills Academy.

Fife’s latest Construction Academy participants received certificates to mark their achievements at an event held at the Skills Development Centre in Kirkcaldy last week.

The Construction Sector Skills Academy, which has given 12 candidates the opportunity to learn skills in a range of trades, including carpentry and joinery, and has delivered health and safety training, was organised by Fife Council and Opportunities Fife partners Fife College, and Kingdom Housing Association.

The success of these employability academies means that young people have support and assistance from start to finish, ensuring a rung up on the career ladder. The academies run alongside the Fife Job Contract, Fife Council’s £2 million investment to address high levels of unemployment for Fifers.

The group is also undertaking work experience with various businesses throughout Fife, helping to increase their industry knowledge and give them hands-on experience to help them confidently apply for jobs, and to develop good interview skills.

At the event Alan Russell, Fife Council’s senior manager, housing, thanked local firms for their support on Fife’s Affordable Housing projects and their foresight in training and recruiting staff for the future.

Chapelton builders swap hard hats for helmets as they gear up to raise money for charity

Four housebuilding and development firms are gearing up to take part in the Chapelton Bike Ride on Sunday September 4 to raise money for North East Sensory Services (NESS).

Builders from ZeroC, AJC Homes, Elsick Development Company, and A&J Stephen, will be competing against one another at the Chapelton Bike Ride to raise funds for NESS.

North East Sensory Services (NESS), which has offices in Aberdeen, Dundee and Elgin, supports over 4800 people in the North-east of Scotland who have sight or hearing loss. By providing both social work and life-enhancing services, NESS is able to help those with a sensory impairment overcome challenges and achieve independence.

All three of the teams are hoping raise a substantial amount of money for NESS by taking on the 42-mile bike ride, which will raise vital funds for the charity, which helps those with sight or hearing loss achieve independence.

This is the first year that the Chapelton Bike Ride, formerly the Great Stonehaven Bike Ride, has taken place in the new town, which is situated near Newtonhill in Aberdeenshire.

Starting and finishing at Teacake coffee shop in Chapelton, the bike ride takes cyclists into the seaside town of Stonehaven, through Fetteresso and Durris Forests’, before leading them towards Maryculter and the picturesque banks of the River Dee, then looping back round towards Chapelton.

Registration costs £15 per person for the 42-mile route, £5 per person for the 12-mile route, or £10 for a team of four for the 12-mile cycle. Register for the Chapelton Bike Ride at www.chapeltonbikeride.co.uk.